2017 EXPECTATIONS

[Frank Grimes]

23 to 111 vs GWS (there are no words)
92 to 77 vs Coll (OK)
78 to 82 vs Geelong (cough up 6 goal lead)
46 to 55 vs StK (rated worst AFL game ever by some)
51 to 164 vs Syd (Hannebery et al. laughing on the bench)

I think we'll finish 14th-17th. Back in early July I was actually bullish about out 2017 season. I was thinking with the way we were playing this has to be the absolute bottom and we couldn't possibly get any worse with the talent on our list. Then the last month as shown above happened. It is clear we have 3-4 elite players, but after them it drops off massively.

 

[Tiger Toffee]

13+ wins easy, why? because in 2016 we won 8 games and threw 2 others away ( and also got burnt by a Bannister special ) which would've seen us missing finals by 2 ( 1 ) games playing like crap and the playing group having a massive case of the sooks, an attitude change by all in 2017 will see us winning more games than this year no problems and making finals.

 

[Rustof]

Undefeated.

Then knocked out in straight sets in the finals.

 

[parmy2balmey]

5 yr deal for dustin
vfl flag
seniors prelim
nat fyfe

why get out of bed otherwise

 

[Livonski]

Everyone wants that, it's a fait accompli.

Speak for yourself.

 

[OhDustinMartin]

Gonna be brutally honest and see how we go.

Positives
- Riewoldt dominates as a stay-at-home forward. 65-75 goals.
- Rioli has a breakout year along half-forward.
- Griffiths drops 30-40 goals.
- Nathan Drummond also has a huge year, becomes a permenant member of the side.
- Nick Vlastuin moves into the midfield full time.
- Nankervis becomes the next cult hero.
- Jack Graham plays 7 games.
- Rance is his brilliant self.
- Dusty, Cotch and Prestia become the AFL's next big three.
- Bolton, Lloyd and Rioli begin to form the AFL's next mosquito fleet.
- Our forward line and midfield becomes bloody good.
- We make the finals, finish 6 or 7, thanks to a soft draw and some real hardness around the footy.

Negatives
- Shane Edwards falls out of the side.
- Shaun Grigg hits a wall, is dropped round six.
- Oleg has a poor year, but still looks good enough.
- Ivan retires.
- Backline is exposed. Rance, Grimes, Short and Houli play well, Astbury, Batchelor not so much. Adelaide murder us thanks to Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch.
- Lambert, Townsend fail.

 

[wegetpumped]

My expectations for 17 is if we end up like this year all hell will break upon punt road.
No key injuries eg rance dusty jack or it will be a year to forget.
Best recruiting for ages but we have little cover in some positions.

 

[bigstyletiger]

Im expecting improvement through a faster more direct game plan facilitated by a bolsted inside mid department which will enable our improved outside mid division to do some damage. Caddy and Prestia are some of the most fitting recruits ive seen for a long time for our needs. A fit McIntosh, Houli will help on the outside and another pre season into mena and markov. Also think b ellis will get back to his best due to improved inside mid depth. Hopefull C Ellis stakes a claim at half back and Vlastuin can have an impact in the middle. Ty going out is a bonus. He was non competitive. Injury to JR or rance potentiall disasterous but overall predicting improvement. Also from the word coming out of the club from people connected to players the mood is much improved. End of season form was potentially a result of the dark mood within the four walls of punt rd last year. Think that has changed

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

To go through the season winless is my prediction and finish stone motherless last.Then handover pick 1 to Richmond.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Given I am glass half FULL

What I expect (hope) is that
1) The squad changes make us much more competitive in contested ball
2) We play an attacking style that lets us score and we provide defensive pressure
3) Younger guys come on the next level to be solid AFL players. BEllis, CEllis, Menadue, KMac,
4) Year 1/2 players keep impacting and get better Rioli (love this guy) and Markov especially
5) The experienced players get going and all play well
6) Our 'leaders' find greater depth and we have more players leading the team on.
7) We start the season well
8) We finish the season well

We go top 4 and win at least one final.

There is nothing in that is unusual or weird. It's just that I expect to see it all happen.

 

[RunningBounce]

Also from the word coming out of the club from people connected to players the mood is much improved. End of season form was potentially a result of the dark mood within the four walls of punt rd last year. Think that has changed

Thanks! That is good news

 

[French Tiger]

Think we have built a decent enough midfield to challenge for the 8 , my worry is a our lack of tall depth both forward & back.

 

[Hot tigers]

Should we have a good yer with injuries and the players who we need to come on come on, then i see no reason why we cant make the 8 and at least win a final, thats also providing we don't play sideways football, given who we have been recruiting and their speed and skill i am confident in a change of gameplay, that being said if we underperform i have no doubt Balmey (funny enough same reason as Gubby - Bucks) has the fortitude to terminate Dimma.

 

[tigerdan]

It all depends on the gameplan.

Given that we have chosen a radically different drafting strategy this year I expect that the coaches are going to try a different gameday strategy too.

If we stick to the sideways bullshit, Hardwick will be sacked by round 7. And he will deserve it.

If we actually play direct attacking footy, the sky is the limit as we have really improved our list and only lost Lids, who let's face it was going to get worse. CHF might be a concern (who to play there?) but teams don't really play conventional CHFs anymore due to the way everyone follows the ball around. You only really see a CHF line up in the right spot after a free kick forward of centre when everyone has been able to run back to position.

Provided we change the game plan we should make the finals. A team of Brownlow Medallists playing last year's game plan would get shitted on.

 

[Roachy8]

A more watchable, entertaining game style..... Hopefully

 

[Foley#41]

No Vickery = no flag

No. Vickery = no flag.

 

[WATiger86]

7th to 14th

 

[Helen Wheels]

With the changes already in place in the off-season:

• Dimma to be coach in a titular sense only. To be more administrative than directly hands-on.
  
• Balme to be the driver.
• The new assistant coaches to take the main role on game day.
• A faster and more confrontational and intimidating (tackling) game plan.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Sorry, it was meant to be a broad statement, a bit like "everyone wants peace on earth", you just know somebody is going to say "I don't".

Not everybody wants peace on Earth. It's against their interests. Haliburton.

 

[Helen Wheels]

That was my point.

Brilliantly argued.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

It seems the media don't really rate us as a team to push for the 8 next season (many saying Melbourne and Saints should be leading the charge on that front).

I think the club seems to be trying to keep expectations low too - which I think is a good idea. Let the team get through preseason without any external pressure, scrutiny and hype to shake the focus.

I think we can make the 8 - on talent alone, we should have enough to make it provided no big injuries to key players (Rance and Jack especially given how light we are in quality KPPs at both ends).

A big problem for us in 2016 was slow ball movement and transition - a new gameplan, new coaching lieutenants looking after different areas of the team may see improvements. Our drafting might not pay immediate dividends but seems we've added some genuinely fast, nimble and evasive players.

Another major area of struggle was contested ball, tackling and clearances where we got smashed most weeks and finished right down the bottom in those categories. I think our recruitment has really beefed that up with Caddy, Nankervis and Prestia (plus Graham in the draft) should really go along way to improving us in those areas.

I'm not 100% sold on Dimma but with the board unwavering in their support of him, the review seemingly revealing he wasn't surrounded by the best of assistants, and the genuine affection the playing group have for him, I'm happy to back him in 2017.

In summary my expectations are pretty low at this stage but I'm quietly confident we 'should' do better than we did in 2016. Just how much better remains to be seen.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Reset expectations for 2016 ... win a final.

 

[NaturalDisaster]

It seems the media don't really rate us as a team to push for the 8 next season (many saying Melbourne and Saints should be leading the charge on that front).

I think the club seems to be trying to keep expectations low too - which I think is a good idea. Let the team get through preseason without any external pressure, scrutiny and hype to shake the focus.

I think we can make the 8 - on talent alone, we should have enough to make it provided no big injuries to key players (Rance and Jack especially given how light we are in quality KPPs at both ends).

A big problem for us in 2016 was slow ball movement and transition - a new gameplan, new coaching lieutenants looking after different areas of the team may see improvements. Our drafting might not pay immediate dividends but seems we've added some genuinely fast, nimble and evasive players.

Another major area of struggle was contested ball, tackling and clearances where we got smashed most weeks and finished right down the bottom in those categories. I think our recruitment has really beefed that up with Caddy, Nankervis and Prestia (plus Graham in the draft) should really go along way to improving us in those areas.

I'm not 100% sold on Dimma but with the board unwavering in their support of him, the review seemingly revealing he wasn't surrounded by the best of assistants, and the genuine affection the playing group have for him, I'm happy to back him in 2017.

In summary my expectations are pretty low at this stage but I'm quietly confident we 'should' do better than we did in 2016. Just how much better remains to be seen.

I wouldn't listen to the media to be honest. Like someone said in the best 22 thread, they tipped us for top 4 with a worse list than we have now and now based on the year we have had, they say bottom 4 with a better list

I just want to see a good style of play and to see something building for the future. I don't think we are a write off for finals contention but even if we don't qualify I just want to see the best team put forward weekly, a good style of play and everyone giving it a crack.. no more laziness

 

[Nantes]

Just a reminder, this is not hope or want.

Just what you expect.

 

[docko911]

The question is did we have a good team in 2015 or good coaches

If we had a good team than there is no question we should be a top team next year provided our new coaching group gets their shit together.

If we had good coaches, are our coaches better next year, if not we ****ed

A mix of both and we will only improve if our coaches do.

Essentially our list has barely changed in a couple of years with the exception of Deledio and the additions of Caddy and Prestia. The remaining changes are all meh at this stage.